No wizards, witches, zombies, or demons.
Just Abby.
Heaven.
Entering the private apartment, he headed directly to the bedroom only to be halted by the unmistakable sound of splashing water.
The weariness slid away as a faint smile curved his lips. Altering his course, he moved toward the bathroom and stepped through the door to study the slender woman soaking in the vast tub.
Speaking of heaven…
If his heart still beat, it would have halted at the sight of the white skin glowing in the candlelight like the rarest pearl and her honey curls fanned about her gamine face. Thankfully the rest of his body functioned just fine. Dante allowed his gaze to trail over the soft thrust of her br**sts to the tempting triangle of hair between her thighs, and he felt himself grow hard.
Painfully hard, he acknowledged as his erection bit into the buttons of his pants.
With perfect clarity, he recalled the feel of her warmth as she had held him in her arms and the aching pleasure as she had rode him to completion.
Ah, sweet heavens he wanted her.
No, he needed her.
With a desperation that made a mockery of mere lust.
Silently kicking off his boots and shrugging out of his shirt, Dante paced forward and settled on the edge of the tub.
"Is this a private party or can anyone join in?" he murmured softly.
With an obvious effort, Abby lifted her lids to regard him with a slumberous gaze.
"Dante," she husked, making no attempt to cover her delectable curves. "I didn't hear you return."
He choked back a curse as his erection swelled in response to the beautiful vision below him.
He wanted to kiss every inch of her wet, slick skin. To sink between her thighs and taste her heat. To watch her eyes widen with pleasure as he entered her and to thrust both of them into mindless bliss.
His hand trembled with the force of his desire as he reached out to stroke his fingers down the curve of her neck. He could feel the softness of her skin, the heat of her rushing blood.
"I thought you would be asleep by now," he murmured.
She heaved a soft sigh. 'This feels so good, I can't make myself leave."
Dante slowly smiled. "I have something that would feel even better."
Her eyes darkened as a smile of pure temptation curved her lips.
"I don't know." Her gaze lingered on his bare chest. "This is pretty much at the top of the feelgood list."
Rising to his feet, Dante quickly rid himself of his pants before he joined her in the heated water. The steam clouded about him, filled with the scent of vanilla and woman, rousing the predator that always lurked just beneath the surface.
With a growl of satisfaction, Dante pulled her into his arms as he performed a smooth roll, anchoring her atop his aching body with her legs straddling his hips.
He smiled into her startled eyes as he carefully smoothed her damp curls behind her ears.
"Lover, you're just about to learn a whole new list."
Her breath caught as his hands skimmed down the curve of her back to cup her backside, pressing her firmly against his throbbing shaft.
"You think you're that good?" she breathed.
Dante chuckled as he lifted his head to nibble at the base of her throat.
"Oh, better. Much better."
"I…" Her head tilted back as he gave her a small nip, her hips moving in silent encouragement. "Oh."
Dante groaned. Her skin fascinated him. So soft. So warm.
He licked a hungry path to her breast.
The animal in him longed to simply thrust into her and find his release. There was something to be said for a swift, sweaty orgasm.
But not with Abby, he conceded.
This was not sex.
Not mindless coupling.
It was a joining that he could feel right to his dead heart.
Savoring the sweet taste of her, Dante circled her tightening nipple with the tip of his tongue. With light strokes he teased her until he heard her hiss of breath, and she grasped his head in her hands.
"Please," she whispered.
"Is this what you want, lover?" he demanded, closing his lips about the peak to suckle her with gentle urgency.
'Yes."
Her fingers tangled in his hair, her legs parting until she could rub herself against the length of his erection.
Dante closed his eyes at the intense shock of pleasure that flared through him. Bloody hell. Nothing had ever felt so good. And he wasn't even inside her.
The warm water surged about them, and the candles flickered, adding to the erotic sensations. He arched his hips upward, his hands shifting to stroke over her inner thighs. Slowly he traced patterns on her wet skin, simply enjoying the feel of her. He could stay here an eternity, he realized with a tiny jolt of surprise.
Just the two of them, alone and at peace.
Still teasing the hard tip of her breast with his tongue, he slid his hands higher, tugging her legs farther apart until he discovered her center.
Her lashes lowered as he trailed a finger between her soft folds.
"Dante," she breathed.
Nibbling his way to her neglected breast, he lightly scoured his fangs over the sensitive swell even as his finger stroked into her sleek heat.
Abby moaned, tangling her hands in his hair. He leaned back to watch the flush darken across her cheekbones. God, but she was beautiful. An exotic angel that had tumbled into his grasp.
With a slow expertise, he stroked his finger deep within her. At the same time he used his thumb to caress her tiny nub of pleasure.
'You feel so good," he muttered, his tongue flicking over the tip of her nipple. "So ready for me."
"Don't stop," she gasped.
Dante gave a choked laugh. "There isn't a force on earth that could halt me now, lover."
Sighing softly, Abby allowed her hands to smooth down the length of his neck and over the muscles of his shoulders. Her touch was light, but a trail of fire followed in the wake of her fingers.
A shudder of pleasure arced through his body. For centuries he had sought out vampires and demons to ease his needs. The fierce, mindless sex suited his frustrated mood. Besides, human women were a complication he didn't need.
Now he realized just how much he had been missing.
The soft, lingering touch.
The scent of female desire.
The delicious foreplay that made him quiver with longing.
As if reading his mind, Abby lowered her head to press her lips to his chest. With open-mouthed kisses she moved to suckle his sensitive nipple, her hands stroking down the hard muscles of his stomach.
"Bloody hell," he groaned as she briefly hesitated and then grasped his straining erection in a tender grip.
"Maybe you're not the only one with skills, lover," she teased as she stroked him from top to bottom and back again.